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Otis Johnson was recently released from prison after being locked away for 44 years. He was 25 when his sentence started, and 69 when he was released.

On the outside, he quickly realized the world was a very different place — downright futuristic compared to the world he left behind back in the late 1960s.

In an interview and video for Al Jazeera, Johnson recently visited Times Square in New York City, where he was surprised and confused by the modern technology surrounding him: People "with wires in their ears" listening to music who looked like CIA agents, pedestrians "talking to themselves" on their iPhones, and neon video billboards illuminating storefront windows.

Johnson offers a fascinating perspective on our world today and the modern technology that many shrug off and take for granted.

watch below

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Ngwa Bertrand

26.Nov.2015

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Michael Forsuh, a prosperous pig seller in Bamenda was roasted to death by an angry mob. Accussed of stealing a big pig, Forsuh was tied behind his car, dragged for a reasonable distance before being beaten and set on fire. Some reports have suggested that the owner of the stolen pig allerted neighbours when Forsuh had come to stage the action who successfully trapped him as he was about driving off. Unfortunately, he was stopped and interrogated by the members of a vigilante group.

After some few questions and confession, mob justice began and ended the life of Forsuh Micheal. An investigations have been opened to track down his partner in crime, Tse Jean.  Bamenda town is slowly but surely becoming very insecure as kidnappings and killings are now a normal day to day activity. In Bambili, three members of a gang of five specialized in breaking into the student residential area were arrested by Tubah Police. They were found in possession of TV sets, cell phones, bundle of keys, Laptop computers, knives and a riffle.

Early this month, the remains of a primary two pupil from a lay private school in Bamenda city was found in Bambili after being taken away from school by an uncle. The group that has been arrested wanted a ransom of 4.000.000frs as the girls’ parents are in Europe. When the uncle noticed that the five years old indentified him, she was murdered and dumped by a river side. Fortunately the gang has been arrested. On Monday November 22, another Nursery school child was kidnapped by an unidentified man. Neighbors claimed the man was sported around the school compound a few days before the incident. Police officials have called on the population to report any suspected persons and to be on the alert at this time of the year.

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Ngwa Bertrand

25.Nov.2015

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Pageant judges have crowned a new winner of Zimbabwe's 4th annual "Mister Ugly" contest, upsetting supporters of the crowd favorite who called the winner too handsome and prompting rioting at the event.

Judges on Saturday chose 42-year-old Mison Sere, citing his numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque facial expressions, over William Masvinu, who had held the title since 2012.
 
Masvinu and his supporters mobbed the judges upon hearing their decision, claiming that Sere was "too handsome" to win and his ugliness wasn't natural since it was based on missing teeth.
 
"I am naturally ugly. He is not. He is ugly only when he opens his mouth," maintained Masvinu, gesturing at his rival.
 
"Do we have to lose our teeth to win? This is cheating," shouted another contestant, Patrick Mupereki. While no one was injured, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving as the results were announced and insults were hurled at the judges.
 
Beauty pageants are popular in this southern African country and even though they are typically for women, scandal is not unusual. Earlier this year, Miss Zimbabwe winner Emily Kachote faced a backlash on social media, with Zimbabweans calling her ugly and undeserving of the crown.

She was later forced to step down when just two weeks into her reign, images surfaced of her posing nude — which incidentally also brought down her predecessor.
 
Sere dismissed the critics as just "sore losers" as he pocketed the $500 in winnings.
 
"They should just accept that I am uglier than them,'' he said. "I hope to get a TV contract. I already moved around schools performing and showcasing my ugliness so this is a chance to make it on TV."
 
The complaints of Masvinu and the other contestants may have a degree of validity. Organizers had previously announced that disabilities or enhancements would not be accepted in the competition which should focus on "natural ugliness."
 
Pageant organizer David Machowa originally told the Associated Press that he began the contest to remove the stigma of ugliness. "Looks are God given. We should all be proud of who we are."
 
The pageant involved three rounds of modelling, with individual and group struts down a catwalk of a Harare nightclub.
 
"Sere made tremendous effort to enhance his ugliness by pulling facial stunts," said judge Abigail Mataranyika, a university student. "Masvinu thought he is so ugly that he didn't need to try hard. That cost him the crown."
 
This year's competition attracted a record number of 36 entries, compared to just five in 2012 when Masvinu began his winning streak. The competition was suspended in 2014 due to a lack of sponsorship, but this year the owners of a string of Harare nightclubs donated $1,000.

(VOA)

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Ngwa Bertrand

24.Nov.2015

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Nigerian  Special Enforcement Team (SET) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug baron, Tochukwu Harris Ubah, believed to be coordinating a large volume of methamphetamine and ephedrine distribution in the country.


NDLEA said Ubah was apprehended after intense undercover operations in connection with illegal exportation of 576kgs of narcotics to Durban, South Africa through Apapa Port, Lagos.

The drug made up of 266kg of methamphetamine and 310kgs of ephedrine valued at 4.6 billion naira were hidden inside noodles, cereals and palm oil.

Preliminary investigations by the NDLEA revealed that the suspect is also known as Etochukwu Alaek Weubah and Eto Ubah.

It was gathered that the 42-year-old has a company, Visoch Resources Limited, which he uses as a cover for his clandestine drug business.

“Although surveillance report indicates that he is major player in drug smuggling, Tochukwu hides under the cover of floor tile business.

“Apart from the seized drugs, other items in the consignment include maize, vegetables, palm oil, malt drinks, seasoning, noodles and cereals,” NDLEA said.

According to SET commander, Mr Sunday Zirangey, the suspected drug kingpin was arrested at the old local section of the Murtala Muhammed Airport upon arrival from Enugu.

“His arrest took place simultaneously with the interception of the consignment of drugs to South Africa. He was immediately taken to the Port to witness the search operations. The methamphetamine was hidden inside packs of Golden More Cereals and Indomie Noodles while the ephedrine was concealed among gallons of palm oil,” Zirangey stated.

(Simon Ateba)

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Ngwa Bertrand

23.Nov.2015

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Members of the National Commission for the Issuing of press cards have met in their second ordinary session to discuss, elaborate and validate resolutions that will permit Cameroonian journalists exercise their profession within the Canons of the law. The meeting was chaired by the Commission's President Severin Tchounkeu who amongst other things launched a call for applications for the acquisition of press cards.

The commission called on heads of media organs to make available the list of media personnel who desire to be issued a press card for processing. Commission members say agreements have been signed with some mobile telephone service providers and the association of hotel managers to provide some discounts to holders of press cards. They also insist that the card will be valid for one year renewable and only holders of a press card will be authorised to practice the profession of Journalism in Cameroon.

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Ngwa Bertrand

19.Nov.2015

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A head of state of a sovereign nation, official guest at a global ceremony who finds himself wearing a badge like an ordinary G4S security guard was the treatment the French gave to our Paul Biya recently in Paris, France. Biya, a French surrogate was in Paris following an invitation from UNESCO officials. At the 38th session of the general assembly of the UN body, its director general, Irina Bokova and her staff, found nothing more original than to pin a plasticized cardboard paper not only to Paul Biya, but also his wife Chantal who moonlights as Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO.

Invited to the rostrum to address the same forum, the French head of state, François Hollande did not have any pin on his chest. It remains the greatest humiliation ever dished out to the Cameroonian people and its leadership. This lack of elegance also brings to question the seriousness of the individuals that drive UNESCO in everyday life and also their working methods that many now find as lax, bureaucratic and lacking more and more genius. It is evidently clear that UNESCO prestigious days with Amadou Maktar M'Bow and Federico Mayor are over.

Interestingly, during her official visit on September the 15th to the 16th 2014 in Yaounde, Irina Bokova, was received like a princess by President Paul Biya and the Cameroonian people with sirens wailing throughout her movements in the nation’s capital. Irina Bokova was even granted an honorary doctorate title at the University of Yaounde I. Just for her two days visit, the population of Yaounde experienced many inconvenience due to blockage of main roads. Cameroon's hospitality was once again manifested in the most exemplary way. Paul Biya gets a security badge as a thank you package from UNESCO. The humiliation carries a French DNA.

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Ngwa Bertrand

19.Nov.2015

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